BOSTON  Putting John Kerry in the White House is the immediate goal of the Democratic Party, but this year's election has a broader purpose, former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros said today.

"It is a foundational election in which we build for the future," Cisneros told members of the Texas media this morning before addressing the state delegation breakfast.

"To me, that's the most important part of what this year's about."

The message resonated with Democrats on the final day of the convention and comes at a critical time. The Democratic Party long has been criticized for lacking unity and vision, but delegates at this year's convention said that is changing.

"This is the most unified convention I have ever been to," said Rick Bolaños, an El Paso delegate and one of four Bolaños brothers  all Vietnam veterans  who are campaigning heavily for Kerry.

It would seem that President Bush  who calls himself "a uniter, not a divider"  has united the Democratic Party, some said this week.

In Texas, where Democrats lost statewide power years ago, growth and unity are crucial. The state party is trying to raise money by asking 1,000 Democrats to donate $1,000 a year for three years to build the base and mobilize new voters.

At the Texas Democratic Convention last month, nearly 60 percent of the delegates were new, said state party spokesman Mike Lavigne.

And nationwide, many Democrats said their political fervor was reignited by the unsuccessful candidacy of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean earlier this year.

"We've awakened a very dormant Democratic Party across the country, from one state to another," Bolaños said.

Conventional wisdom has Bush handily winning his home state in November, but some say the Lone Star State could re-emerge as a Democratic powerhouse in the near future.

"I think the best rebuilding of any state in the Democratic Party is going to happen in Texas in the years to come," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson told the delegation today.

Cisneros has been a key figure in the media blitz waged by the Kerry campaign this week. The former secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Clinton spent most days rushing from radio and newspaper interviews to television stations, doing telephone interviews in between.

Although some political observers have talked about Cisneros as an ideal candidate for statewide office, he said today that he has no plans to run for office, citing family priorities.

He also has not been asked, nor is he considering, being a part of a possible Kerry administration, he said.

He should have a prison record to go with that Harvard degree since he had his mistress lie to the FBI about his bribes to her. Instead, SHE did the time and he's addressing the DNC...pathetic. And this article fails to mention that little fact, doesn't it? Another thing that the partisan media is hiding from the voters.

Like the Bulls after Jordan left? If I am not mistaken they are still in the basement. The rats will come out of November a party of the past. Kerry will lose, they will lose seats an the House and Senate and probably state power also. One can only hope a new more pro American party will emerge.

"I think the best rebuilding of any state in the Democratic Party is going to happen in Texas in the years to come," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson told the delegation today.

He says this as Texas will throw at least six Democrats in the US House out of their jobs this year, thanks to the redistricting effort last summer.

Richardson's statement is almost certainly true. Currently, there is no Democrat in Texas who is the party leader or even a rising young star. There are 29 statewide political officeholders in Texas, and all 29 positions are held by Republicans.

If the Democrats ever elect one, the percentage increase is infinite. So, technically, Bill is right.

Henry is still pissed that he got hung out to dry by Clinton while Bill skated.

Even better, the appointment of both Bentsen and Cisneros to the Clinton cabinet started the chain reaction that caused the DemocRATS to lose every statewide elected office in Texas by 1998. There were lots of DemocRATS who thought Cisneros would replace Bentsen in the Senate and hold that seat for decades. But then Clinton appointed Cisneros to HUD. Ann Richards appointed former (almost successful) Senate candidate Bob Krueger to fill the seat till a special election could be held. Kay Bailey Hutchison surprised lots of people by coming in first in a very large field with lots of Republican candidates but only two DemocRATS. In fact she came close to winning a majority of the vote. Anyway there was then a required runoff between Kreuger and Hutchison. By this time Clinton had become incredibly unpopular in Texas, and Hutchison received over 68% of the vote.

16
posted on 07/29/2004 5:05:38 PM PDT
by Paleo Conservative
(Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)

Democrats can still be elected to the state legislature and have some influence, especially when the 2/3rds "Rose Bush" rule is in effect in the Senate. But that's not much of a farm team since the legislature only rarely meets.

Actually Cisneros pleasded innocent to 17 or so felony charges and was convicted. He was convicted of making false statements to FBI agents conducting a background investigation of him when he was nominated to the Cabinet post in 1993. They included misleading investigators about cash payments he made to a former mistress. All felonies.

Then President Clinton pardoned him along with many others in his last days in the WH.

Since he was pardoned by the grand mullah himself, I guess he can vote along with millions of other Democratic felons in this country.

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